1. On August 26, Second Vice Minister Cho Tae-yul will host a luncheon for six minister- and vice minister-level officials from five Latin American countries, who are visiting the Republic of Korea to participate in the 2015 Vision Sharing Program for National Development, and discuss ways to strengthen mutually-beneficial cooperation and partnership with the Latin American countries.

o The luncheon will be attended by Minister of Coordination of Production, Employment and Competitiveness of Ecuador Nathalie Cely, Minister of Foreign Trade of Ecuador Diego Aulestia, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Dominican Republic Claudio Espinal, Director of the Free Trade Zone Corporation of Nicaragua Ana Argüello, President of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission of El Salvador Nelson Vanegas, and Comptroller of Customs and Excise Division of Trinidad and Tobago Ammar Samaroo.

o 2015 Vision Sharing Program for National Development

- Date and Venue: August 23-29, 2015, in Seoul, Busan and Pohang
- Participating countries: Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago
- Schedule: lectures and discussions on the ROK’s development experience, Latin America business forum, visits to the Busan Port Authority and POSCO

* The Vision Sharing Program for National Development invites key minister- and vice minister-level officials in charge of Latin American development policies to visit the ROK in order to strengthen cooperative relations between the ROK and Latin America. The Program has been conducted every year since 2011 to transfer the ROK’s economic development experience and share its economic development vision.

2. In the upcoming luncheon, Vice Minister Cho Tae-yul will exchange extensive views on a range of issues of mutual concern, including strengthening substantive cooperation between the ROK and Latin America based on over half-century-long friendship; expanding trade and investment by taking steps to conclude the ROK-Central America FTA and the ROK-Ecuador trade agreement; spreading Hallyu (popularity of Korean pop culture) and enhancing cultural exchanges by implementing interactive cultural exchange programs; and stepping up development cooperation by expanding programs to share the ROK’s development experience and know-how.

3. Through the Program, the ROK government will further strengthen mutually-beneficial cooperation with countries in Latin America, a continent of opportunity with great growth potential, by sharing the ROK’s economic development experience with high-level officials from key emerging economies in Latin America, and exploring ways to cooperate in various areas, including development cooperation, economy, trade, culture and infrastructure-building.


*unofficial translation